Top 5 Food Festivals in Mallorca

If it’s big enough to have the Russian Ballet stage a performance, Mallorca is big enough to feed them; and it’s not a big island. Even the hungry ancient Romans knew a thing or two about vacations, and it comes as no surprise that the Spanish island of Mallorca has been occupied since 123 BC by the sun drenched Italians. For such a small destination, Mallorca packs a tight food festival calendar. In short, this isle of leisure has been on the everyday man’s annual leave request from since someone first sent a postcard, and started a bull-rush back in the early 60’s.

So here are the Top 5 annual food festivals of Mallorca (in no particular order).

Caimari Olive Festival

One of the most under-rated food festivals in Europe, this village spectacular set in the picturesque foothills of the Serra de Tramunta, hosts the festival every autumn. In a celebration of its status as the hub of olive oil production in Mallorca, olives are Mallorca’s main export with some 4 million olive trees spread across the island.

Mostra de Cuina

Held between the 4th and 15th May this festival takes place in restaurants instead of on the streets and celebrates everything Mallorcan. Some of the items you are likely to taste are sobrassada, arros brut (saffron rice cooked with chicken, pork and vegetables), and the sweet pastry ensaïmaidas. The ensaïmada is a pastry product and a common cuisine eaten in most former Spanish territories in Latin America and the Philippines, which have been continuously made and eaten for centuries.

The Melon Festival, Vilafranca de Bonany

In true Mallorcan style the Spanish take their fruit very seriously. Hence they have a festival just to celebrate the start of the harvest that features melons, figs, dates and related island fruits in the central town of Vilafranca de Bonany. At the start of every September locals turn some of nature’s best into delightful sweets and share them throughout the neighborhood.

The Fiesta of Black Pudding

Held on the first Sunday of every October this is one for the sausage lovers out there. The Fiesta Torrada d’es Borifarro in Sant Joan is dedicated to the local black pudding & other related delicacies and comes as vast contrast to the usual Mediterranean dining in Mallorca.

The Tapalma Tapas Festival – Palma Tapas Trails (October 7-11)

No I didn’t leave tapas off the festival menu I just want to finish with this: trails are left around the capital of Palma for five days straight with over 200 different varieties that change every day. Each street and family has their own kind of tapas recipes and I beg you to try them. This is where my body begs me not to get on a plane the size of a whale before the tapas run out….Not going to happen.

Sit back, relax and let the Russians do the dancing while you enjoy the festive gluttony!

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